On the contrary, I think it would be unethical to allow immortality for everyone until we have the means to ship as many people as possible off to other habitable worlds. Why? Hitler. Idi Amin. Jerry Flawell. George Bush. Such power must be handed out only to those who might best benefit the human race. It is unethical to condemn our descendents to a world of mediocrity. It is unethical to create a super-race of average dumb-arses who would continue screwing with the world as they are now. Equality such as that is unnatural. Nature favours the smart and the strong for a reason; they offer the best hope for survival of the species.
Immortality: Who gets it?
- Thread starter Adam
- Start date
kindofblue
Registered Member
I do not trust any one, nor any government, to have the power to decide who are "dumb-arses" and who are "smart" and "who might best benefit the human race". That's why it's unethical to "hand out" immortality to certain people and not to everyone. No government nor group of people should have the power to make that determination. Governments, or select people, who have the power to decide which types of people are more worthy than other types of people can only rule through totalitarian regimes. I believe in individual freedom, and I would give up immortality before I gave up liberty.
Liberty comes and goes. If you lose it, you can get it back. Immortality is for ever. I would rather trust those with the courage and ability to take power with the choice than those who just sit back watching the football every Friday night drinking cheap beer and berating their wives.
"This kind of idea seems to be very common. I don't understand that. Do they teach you that in school so you won't feel too guilty when tripping over one?
Everybody has their own story. Everyone has their errors, mistakes and misfortunes. It's not right to judge so quickly."
There actually is a bum who sits next to the liquer store near my house. He just sits outside with his hat and every so often goes in to get booze.
I have zero respect for him.
And as it stands I don't see another reason I could end up on the street. One of the guys who I work with came from a family almost living on the streets. But he worked hard and got a job worth $15 and hour working on bikes. It is possible for anyone who wants to make an effort in Canada to get a job.
Everybody has their own story. Everyone has their errors, mistakes and misfortunes. It's not right to judge so quickly."
There actually is a bum who sits next to the liquer store near my house. He just sits outside with his hat and every so often goes in to get booze.
I have zero respect for him.
And as it stands I don't see another reason I could end up on the street. One of the guys who I work with came from a family almost living on the streets. But he worked hard and got a job worth $15 and hour working on bikes. It is possible for anyone who wants to make an effort in Canada to get a job.
kindofblue
Registered Member
If you really believe this, and you're not just saying this to get a rise from me, we'll have to agree to disagree. I do not trust government to make decisions for me regarding liberty. If liberty "goes", there is no reason to live accept to get liberty back. I do not "trust those with the courage and ability to take power" to make good decisions. If you do, then you do not value individual freedom nor democratic government. Just don't complain when "those with the courage and ability to take power" decide to impose their view of religion, politics, morality, and freedom (or lack there of) on you and those you care about.
Note that genetically engineered changes might result in anti-aging but not immortality.
But let's add freedom from disease in the mix.
People will still die from accidents, murder, suicide, and war.
Everyone should have the treatment.
Having children should then be made illegal unless there is a way to leave the planet, or until there is a way to leave the planet.
Maintaining a birth rate equal to the death rate or some other approrpiate rate could be determined by a planetary wide lottery allowing winners to have children.
There was a good sci-fi program I remember from some 30 years ago that explored the overcrowding issue - the program was called 1.5. Only people with special licenses could have children and the maximum was 1.5 children. Control was mainatined by having a contrceptive in the water supply. Those who were allowed children had a special supply of water.
The story followed a couple who took a vacation in an isolated area and drank from a well, they didn't know about the contrceptive system. The punchline came when they had twins.
Cris
But let's add freedom from disease in the mix.
People will still die from accidents, murder, suicide, and war.
Everyone should have the treatment.
Having children should then be made illegal unless there is a way to leave the planet, or until there is a way to leave the planet.
Maintaining a birth rate equal to the death rate or some other approrpiate rate could be determined by a planetary wide lottery allowing winners to have children.
There was a good sci-fi program I remember from some 30 years ago that explored the overcrowding issue - the program was called 1.5. Only people with special licenses could have children and the maximum was 1.5 children. Control was mainatined by having a contrceptive in the water supply. Those who were allowed children had a special supply of water.
The story followed a couple who took a vacation in an isolated area and drank from a well, they didn't know about the contrceptive system. The punchline came when they had twins.
Cris
Simple you destroy the research. Don't tell anybody. And pray like hell that no one else ever discovers it.
The potential risks are far greater than any rewards we might get. Think about it this way. If a good person gets it thats fine and great but there will always be good people one immortal one won't make a huge difference. But if some half-crazed power hungry psychopath gets hold of it (and don't think that he won't) youve got an invincible efvil force to deal with. There's no way to stop him. You can't kill himn (immortal remember) and there is no safe way to keep him locked up (its amazing whay you can do given eternity)
Of course if you can give it to everybody it dosen't really matter but the ruls of the thread says i cant so bad luck world.
The potential risks are far greater than any rewards we might get. Think about it this way. If a good person gets it thats fine and great but there will always be good people one immortal one won't make a huge difference. But if some half-crazed power hungry psychopath gets hold of it (and don't think that he won't) youve got an invincible efvil force to deal with. There's no way to stop him. You can't kill himn (immortal remember) and there is no safe way to keep him locked up (its amazing whay you can do given eternity)
Of course if you can give it to everybody it dosen't really matter but the ruls of the thread says i cant so bad luck world.
